Cognition

Two important nutrients for brain health and cognition are found in eggs: choline and lutein. Choline plays a role in early brain development during pregnancy and infancy, particularly in areas of the brain that are used for memory and learning. Lutein has long been associated with eye health but research has discovered lutein’s role in cognition as well. For example:

Researchers at the University of Illinois published two studies looking at the relationship between brain lutein, as measured using a non-invasive eye test called Macular Pigment Optical Density (MPOD), and cognition in children. They found that MPOD concentration was positively associated with academic performance.

The American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates recommended the addition of choline to prenatal vitamins because of its essentiality in promoting cognitive development of the offspring.

There is evidence that infants exposed to higher levels of maternal choline (930 mg/day) during the third trimester have improved information processing speed during the first year of life, an indicator of cognition and intelligence.

“Choline has been shown to be ranked last among common nutrients as a nutrient to recommend for a healthy diet, and only about 10% of health professionals indicate moderate familiarity with choline.”1 With growing research indicating that this under-consumed nutrient is critical for neurocognitive development and health throughout the lifespan, health professionals should be aware of foods that provide choline and ways to incorporate them into the diet. Continue reading “Choline: A Critical Need to Increase Awareness and Consumption”→

Lutein is an important carotenoid that has been shown to act as internal sunglasses, protecting our eyes from harmful blue light. It also prevents against macular degeneration and other age-related eye diseases. Emerging research shows lutein’s benefits may extend beyond eye health, impacting cognitive function and brain health across the lifespan. Continue reading “Lutein’s Role in Optimal Eye and Brain Health”→

Featured article in the Fall 2018 Issue of Nutrition Close-Up; written by Jirayu Tanprasertsuk, MS and Emily Mohn, PhD

Autumn is the perfect time to observe carotenoids in nature. Carotenoids are a group of plant pigments that are responsible for the beautiful yellow, orange, and red foliage during this season. We also find carotenoids in many of the colorful fruits and vegetables we eat. Although there are more than 600 naturally occurring carotenoids, only six of them are common in the American diet. Most of us are familiar with beta-carotene, responsible for the orange color of carrots and sweet potatoes, and lycopene, responsible for the red color of tomatoes. Lutein is a carotenoid found mostly in green leafy vegetables like kale and spinach, but is also found in eggs and avocados. The amount of lutein in selected food sources is provided in Table 1. Continue reading “Lutein – The Eye’s and Brain’s Best Friend”→

Do you have a family member with a congenital heart disease? Have you heard of someone with a cleft palate or spina bifida? I’m guessing the answer to at least one of these questions is yes. Birth defects impact 1 in every 33 babies born in the U.S. each year.1

Choline is hot! In 2016, the Food and Drug Administration established a Reference Daily Intake value for choline of 550 mg. Then in June of 2017, the American Medical Association (AMA) House of Delegates recommended the addition of choline to prenatal vitamins because of its essentiality in promoting cognitive development of the offspring. This was followed in August by a study that showed that more than 90% of pregnant women (as well as adults in general) do not consume recommended intakes of choline.

Now the story continues. This month, Dr. Marie Caudill and colleagues at Cornell University published evidence that infants exposed to higher levels of maternal choline (930 mg/day) during the third trimester have improved information processing speed during the first year of life, an indicator of cognition and intelligence. Similar studies have been conducted in rodents and shown that the cognitive effects of maternal exposure to choline last beyond infancy. Whether the same will be observed in humans remains to be determined. But one thing is clear: there’s much to learn about the role of choline in brain development. Hopefully this study will be a catalyst for other scientists to start unraveling the unknowns about this previously underappreciated nutrient.